GRAPES OF WRATH ESSAY FOLLOW-UP

As I began scoring your essays, I found that most of them showed few if any signs of having been revised. In fact, many of them did not even follow the format—or even the topic?-- given on the assignment sheet.

Grading essays is always time-consuming and challenging. When they have generally not even been revised (after explicit instructions and more than a week to do so), it’s really just not fair. I’m not going to spend more time on your assignment than you did. Considering that I already wrote the assignment, the (three) rubric(s), the revision checklist, posted everything online to help you, AND graded the papers, my time adds up fast.

First, I changed the rubric to emphasize revision and to speed up the process for me. Evaluating your content is not a good use of my time if you didn’t revise, for example. I found even that rubric demanded more from me than what most of you had done. Frustrating! So, the rubric you’ll receive is one designed on the assumption that your content is good. It grades only revision issues pertaining to ORGANIZATION, STYLE, AND MECHANICS—all elements that should be perfect given the revision help and time to accomplish the revision you were given.

I initially intended for only those seemingly unrevised essays to get this rubric, but eventually simplified the process so that everyone was graded by the same rubric. You’ll get this rubric on paper even if you submitted your essay on Canvas. Your essay itself will show at least minimal markings too. Whether on Canvas or on paper, I marked the following:

· Passive verbs (GREEN)

· Repeated sentence openings/structures (YELLOW)

· IT without an antecedent (in expletives, phrasal verbs, and clichés) (ORANGE)

· Grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors (BLUE—may vary on the essays on paper)

You will also get your paper back in class if you turned in a physical copy. Anyone who submitted their work on Canvas can see my markings and notes there.

Please note that this is NOT an assignment “everybody failed.” Those who seemed to have invested careful attention and time to revision scored very well. Thirty-six students scored 76 points or higher—five of them scoring 89 or 90. This was possible with hard work and the appropriate time devoted to an assignment you knew was a major writing assignment.

SO . . . is there anything you can do to fix your score?

No. Learn your lesson-- If you’re given a major assignment, an assignment sheet with specific instructions, access to a revision checklist written by the very same person who will score your essay, AND a week to work on the assignment, pay attention and work hard. You’re in an honors class, after all.

That said, there is a “redemption” opportunity that you can do to get extra credit in the same grading category.

Click the link below for details . . .